ABSTRACT
Fast-acting solenoids are finding increasingly more new industrial applications and the demand for electronically controlled magnetic linear actuators is expanding rapidly, particularly in the automotive industry. These solenoids are found in a variety of sizes, configurations, and load requirements as the use of electronics increases to replace conventional hydraulics and mechanical systems with modern mechatronics. They are utilized as fuel injectors, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and transmission control solenoids, fuel pumps, compressor solenoids, speed-sensitive steering system solenoids, active suspension systems, air bag deployment, etc. From the armature design point of view, linear solenoids are divided into four families of solenoid actuator geometries — solenoids with disk, plunger, conical, and ball armatures — as shown in Figure 3.1.
